Final Cut Pro 6 Working with High Definition and Broadcast Formats
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1 Contents Preface 9 9 11 12 About High Definition and Broadcast Formats Overview of High Definition Video Formats About the Apple ProRes 422 Codec About the Apple Intermediate Codec Chapter 1 13 13 14 15 17 17 18 19 19 20 28 29 30 32 32 32 33 33 35 35 36 37 38 39 Working with HDV About HDV HDV Formats Supported by Final Cut Pro About MPEG Compression Working with HDV in Final Cut Pro Native HDV Editing Workflow Steps for Native HDV Editing Connecting an HDV Device to Your Computer Choosing an Easy S
45 48 48 49 49 51 52 53 53 54 56 57 59 59 59 61 62 DVCPRO HD Frame Rates Working with DVCPRO HD in Final Cut Pro Connecting a DVCPRO HD Device to Your Computer Choosing a DVCPRO HD Easy Setup Logging and Capturing Your DVCPRO HD Footage Editing DVCPRO HD Footage Outputting Your DVCPRO HD Sequence Using the DVCPRO HD Frame Rate Converter Choosing an Intended Playback Rate How DVCPRO HD Variable Frame Rate Recording Works About the DVCPRO HD Frame Rate Converter About the Frame Rate Converter Options Usin
85 85 86 86 87 87 88 88 89 89 89 90 91 92 93 93 94 95 Transport Controls in the Preview Area Restrictions During Preview Using the Logging Area Using Autofill Cache Logging Information Incrementing Logging Fields Setting Audio and Video Clip Import Settings Using the Transfer Queue Adding Clips to the Transfer Queue for Ingest Organizing Clips in the Transfer Queue Pausing and Stopping Ingest Filenaming and Clip Naming During Ingest Reingesting Clip Media Working with Spanned Clips Viewing Spanned Clips in
Chapter 7 117 117 117 118 118 118 118 119 Working with AVC-Intra About AVC-Intra AVC-Intra Formats Supported by Final Cut Pro Working with AVC-Intra in Final Cut Pro Restrictions When Working with AVC-Intra Restrictions During Preview Choosing an AVC-Intra Destination Codec AVC-Intra Format Specifications Chapter 8 121 121 122 122 123 124 124 125 126 126 127 127 127 128 Working with Sony XDCAM Formats About XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX XDCAM Formats Supported in Final Cut Pro XDCAM HD Formats Suppo
Chapter 10 143 143 144 144 144 Working with Sony Video Disk Units About Sony Video Disk Units Importing Footage from a Sony Video Disk Unit Setting Up a Sony Video Disk Unit Importing DV Media from a Sony Video Disk Unit Contents 7
Preface About High Definition and Broadcast Formats More and more video formats are introduced every year. Making Final Cut Pro the center of your post-production workflow ensures that your suite is compatible with the latest broadcast and high definition formats. This chapter covers the following: Â Overview of High Definition Video Formats (p. 9) Â About the Apple ProRes 422 Codec (p. 11) Â About the Apple Intermediate Codec (p.
The following table shows the HD formats in common use today. NTSC-Compatible HD Formats Format Description 1080i60 Has high-resolution frames, is able to capture fast movement, and has reduced vertical resolution due to interlacing. Easily downconverts to NTSC. 1080p30 Has high-resolution frames. Movement is less smooth but resolution is higher than interlaced formats in areas of movement. 720p60 Captures fast-action movement with clarity.
About the Apple ProRes 422 Codec The Apple ProRes 422 codec is a high-quality 10-bit 4:2:2 video codec designed for demanding post-production workflows. Both SD and HD resolutions are supported at two quality levels—standard and high. All standard frame rates are available: 23.98, 25, 29.97, 50, and 59.94 fps. The standard-quality format is called Apple ProRes 422 and the high-quality format is called Apple ProRes 422 (HQ).
Here are some advantages of using the Apple ProRes 422 codec: Â Provides lower storage costs compared to the Uncompressed 8-bit and 10-bit codecs. Â Can be used to capture using a third-party video interface with SDI or HD-SDI inputs. Â Can be used to transcode formats that Final Cut Pro does not support natively. Â Can be used to render long-GOP MPEG-2 formats (such as HDV and XDCAM HD) to avoid MPEG-2 reencoding artifacts before output.
1 Working with HDV 1 Final Cut Pro supports native capturing, editing, and output of HDV media. If you already have experience editing DV footage, making the switch to HDV is simple. This chapter covers the following: Â About HDV (p. 13) Â Native HDV Editing Workflow (p. 17) Â Transcoded HDV Editing Workflow (p. 32) Â Using the Canon XL H1 HDV Camcorder (p. 37) Â Using the Sony HVR-V1 HDV Camcorder (p. 38) Â HDV Format Specifications (p.
HDV Formats Supported by Final Cut Pro Within the HDV specification, 1080-line and 720-line formats using several frame rates are defined. Final Cut Pro supports the following HDV formats. 59.
Standard Definition Recording with an HDV Camcorder In addition to recording HD video, most HDV camcorders can also record standard definition DV video. You can capture, edit, and output this DV video just as you would any other DV video. Important: You should avoid recording DV and HDV video on the same tape. (You should also avoid recording HDV footage using different frame sizes and frame rates on the same tape.) This can cause problems during capture and playback.
More About Long-GOP Video The term long refers to the fact that P- and B-frames are used between I-frame intervals. At the other end of the spectrum, the opposite of long-GOP MPEG is I-frame-only MPEG, in which only I-frames are used. Formats such as IMX use I-frame-only MPEG, which reduces temporal artifacts and improves editing performance. However, I-frame-only formats have a significantly higher data rate because each frame must store enough data to be completely self-contained.
Working with HDV in Final Cut Pro If you’ve previously worked with DV, you’ll find that the HDV workflow is similar. However, the nature of MPEG-2 long-GOP editing can add significant rendering time when editing native HDV. To avoid this, you may want to choose one of the other HDV editing workflows. There are three workflows for working with HDV footage in Final Cut Pro: Â Native MPEG-2 HDV capturing, editing, and rendering: For more information, see “Native HDV Editing Workflow” on page 17.
Steps for Native HDV Editing The steps for capturing, editing, and outputting HDV in Final Cut Pro are almost identical to the workflow used for DV, but there are several important differences. The differences between the HDV and DV workflows are highlighted in the steps below. Step 1: Connect your HDV camcorder to your computer via FireWire This step is similar to connecting a DV device via FireWire. Step 2: Choose an HDV Easy Setup Choose the HDV Easy Setup that corresponds to your HDV format.
Connecting an HDV Device to Your Computer Once you have HDV footage on tape, you can connect your camcorder or VTR to your computer to capture. To connect your HDV camcorder or VTR to your computer: 1 Turn on your VTR or camcorder and switch it to VCR (or VTR) mode. Note: On some camcorders, this mode may be labeled “Play.” 2 Connect the connector on one end of your FireWire cable to the FireWire port on your camcorder.
5 Choose an Easy Setup from the Use pop-up menu. Important: Make sure to choose an Easy Setup that matches the format of your HDV source tapes. 6 Click Setup. The corresponding capture, sequence, and device control presets are loaded, as well as A/V device settings. Logging and Capturing Native HDV Footage Once you’ve connected your camcorder and chosen the appropriate Easy Setup, you can log and capture your footage.
There are several areas in the Log and Capture window: Â Preview area: On the left is the area where you view video while logging clips. This area contains transport controls, marking controls, and timecode fields. If device control is not enabled, the transport controls do not appear. Â Tabs: On the right are the Logging, Clip Settings, and Capture Settings tabs. Â Log and capture buttons: You click one of these buttons when you are ready to log a clip or capture media.
Video Preview Area  Available space and time: Final Cut Pro displays the amount of available space on all currently assigned scratch disks.  Device status: Shows the readiness of camcorders and decks connected to your computer and being controlled by Final Cut Pro. If you see “VTR OK,” your equipment is connected and working properly.  Timecode Duration field: Displays the duration, in timecode, between the current tape In and Out points. If you enter a duration in this field, the Out point is adjusted.
Shuttle Control A shuttle control similar to the one in the Viewer and Canvas is also available for navigating through the tape. Shuttle control In the Log and Capture window, you can use the J, K, and L keys for playback and shuttling, just as you can in the Viewer and Canvas. For more information about using the J, K, and L keys for playback, see the Final Cut Pro 6 User Manual, Volume I, Chapter 6, “Viewer Basics.” Note: Tape playback is not as efficient as playback from media files on your hard disk.
Tabs in the Log and Capture Window The Log and Capture window has several tabs you can use for logging and capturing your HDV footage. Logging Tab Use this tab to add descriptive information to each clip that you log, such as reel name, scene/take number, log notes, markers, and so on. Much of this information can also be added later in the Browser. The Log Bin button contains the name of the currently selected logging bin.
When an HDV Easy Setup is chosen, only two audio channels are available for capture. You can choose to capture one channel or you can capture both audio channels, either as two discrete mono tracks or a single stereo pair. Capture Settings Tab Use this tab to specify scratch disks for capture. You can also specify scratch disk settings by choosing Final Cut Pro > System Settings and then clicking the Scratch Disks tab. Click here to open the Scratch Disks tab.
Capturing Footage with Start/Stop Indicators When you capture HDV footage, you can control how media files are created when start/stop indicators and timecode breaks are detected. This behavior is slightly different from the way DV footage is handled: Â When you capture DV: Start/Stop indicators can be detected after capture if you select the clip and choose Mark > DV Start/Stop Detect.
To determine how timecode breaks are handled when you capture HDV footage: 1 Choose Final Cut Pro > User Preferences, then click the General tab. 2 Choose an option from the “On timecode break” pop-up menu: Â Make New Clip: This is the default option. Whenever a timecode break is detected during capture, Final Cut Pro finishes writing the current media file to disk and then begins capturing a new media file. A clip corresponding to the new media file is also created in the Browser.
Using an HDV Camcorder to Capture or Output DV Footage You can use an HDV camcorder as a standard DV device. However, before doing this, make sure that:  The Log and Capture window is closed  The camcorder is set to DV mode, not HDV mode For more information, see the documentation that came with your camcorder.
Rendering and Conforming Long-GOP MPEG-2 Media Before you can output or export a native HDV sequence, Final Cut Pro needs to process your media in two ways: Â Render any applied transitions and effects, as well as any leader and trailer elements included in the Print to Video dialog. Â Conform any noncompliant GOPs to the correct I-, P-, and B-frame pattern.
Creating Render Files Using the Apple ProRes 422 Codec To improve rendering performance while editing, you can render segments of your native HDV, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX sequences using the Apple ProRes 422 codec. Because Final Cut Pro supports mixed-format sequences, you can play back the entire sequence, including the Apple ProRes 422 codec render files, in real time.
To output your HDV sequence to tape: 1 Make sure your camcorder is properly connected to your computer via FireWire. For more information, see “Connecting an HDV Device to Your Computer” on page 19. 2 Insert a DV tape into the HDV camcorder. 3 In the Browser, do one of the following: Â Select a sequence or clip. Â Double-click a sequence to open it in the Timeline. Â Double-click a clip to open it in the Viewer. 4 Choose File > Print to Video. The Print to Video dialog appears.
Transcoded HDV Editing Workflow When you edit using footage encoded with the Apple Intermediate Codec or Apple ProRes 422 codec, you can edit just as you would with any other I-frame-only encoded footage, such as DV or uncompressed video. The disadvantage of this workflow is that more scratch disk capacity is required for your footage, and you cannot output HDV to tape without first reencoding your entire sequence back to native HDV. If your sequence is long, the reencoding process can be time-consuming.
Choosing an Easy Setup Final Cut Pro includes Easy Setups for capturing and editing HDV transcoded to the Apple Intermediate Codec or the Apple ProRes 422 codec. To choose an Easy Setup for transcoding HDV: 1 Choose Final Cut Pro > Easy Setup. 2 Choose Apple Intermediate Codec from the Format pop-up menu. Note: The Apple ProRes 422 Easy Setup option supports only 1080p24 HDV. You should use this codec when you have 24 fps footage stored with 3:2 pull-down in a 1080i60 HDV signal.
To capture HDV footage to the Apple Intermediate Codec or Apple ProRes 422 codec: 1 Click in the Browser to make it active, then choose File > New Bin. 2 Control-click the bin, then choose Set Logging Bin from the shortcut menu. Your captured clips will be placed in this bin. 3 Name the bin, then press Enter. 4 Choose File > Log and Capture (or press Command-8). A Capture dialog appears instead of the Log and Capture window. 5 In the Capture dialog, enter a name for the clip, then click Capture.
Editing Video Using Transcoded HDV Footage Editing video transcoded to the Apple Intermediate Codec or Apple ProRes 422 codec is the same as editing other formats in Final Cut Pro. However, you need to make sure your scratch disk supports the data rate. For more information about the data rates of these formats, see “HDV Format Specifications” on page 39 and “About the Apple ProRes 422 Codec” on page 11.
To export your sequence to a QuickTime movie: 1 Open your Final Cut Pro sequence in the Timeline. 2 Choose File > Export > QuickTime Movie. The Save dialog appears. 3 Enter a name and choose a location for the movie. 4 At the bottom of the dialog, make sure the Make Movie Self-Contained checkbox is not selected. 5 If you need DVD chapter markers from your Final Cut Pro project to be exported to the QuickTime movie, choose DVD Studio Pro Markers from the Markers pop-up menu. 6 Click Save.
Using the Canon XL H1 HDV Camcorder Final Cut Pro recognizes the Canon XL H1 HDV camcorder for most Final Cut Pro operations, including Log and Capture and Print to Video. To set up Final Cut Pro to capture from and output to the Canon XL H1 HDV camcorder: 1 Connect one end of a FireWire cable to a FireWire port on your computer, and the other end to a FireWire port on your camcorder. 2 Choose Final Cut Pro > Easy Setup. 3 Choose HDV from the Format pop-up menu.
Using the Sony HVR-V1 HDV Camcorder As of version 6.0.2, Final Cut Pro includes support for the Sony HVR-V1 HDV camcorder, which records native 1080i50 and 1080i60 footage. As with other HDV tape-based devices, you can capture natively or capture to either the Apple Intermediate Codec or the Apple ProRes 422 codec. You can also output back to the Sony HVR-V1 HDV camcorder using the Print to Video command.
HDV Format Specifications HDV has the following format specifications. Storage Medium HDV is recorded on standard mini-DV videocassette tapes or on a hard disk. Video Standard The HDV standards were jointly created by a consortium of manufacturers including Sony, Canon, Sharp, and JVC. HDV supports 1080i, 1080p, and 720p HD standards. Aspect Ratio HDV has an aspect ratio of 16:9.
Data Rate The following table lists the data rates for MPEG-2 HDV as well as HDV transcoded to the Apple Intermediate Codec and Apple ProRes 422 codec. DV data rates are included for comparison. Format Native frame size Data rate DV NTSC 720 x 480 3.6 MB/sec. (equivalent to 12 GB/hr.) DV PAL 720 x 576 3.6 MB/sec. (equivalent to 12 GB/hr.) MPEG-2 HDV 720p30 1280 x 720 2.5 MB/sec. (equivalent to 9 GB/hr.) MPEG-2 HDV 1080i60/50 1440 x 1080 3.3 MB/sec. (equivalent to 12 GB/hr.
Video Compression HDV uses MPEG-2 compression with a constant bit rate (CBR). I-, P-, and B-frames are used, creating a long-GOP pattern. MPEG-2 video and audio are composed of a hierarchy of data streams: Â Elementary stream: This can be a video, audio, subtitle, or other basic media stream. Formats like HDV contain both video and audio elementary streams. Â Transport stream: A transport stream encapsulates elementary streams for real-time distribution, such as television or Internet broadcast.
2 Working with DVCPRO HD 2 In Final Cut Pro, you can natively capture, edit, and output DVCPRO HD video using the built-in FireWire port on your computer. This chapter covers the following: Â About DVCPRO HD (p. 43) Â Working with DVCPRO HD in Final Cut Pro (p. 48) Â Using the DVCPRO HD Frame Rate Converter (p. 53) Â Working with 24p DVCPRO HD (p. 59) Â DVCPRO HD Format Specifications (p.
DVCPRO HD Formats Supported by Final Cut Pro Final Cut Pro natively supports the following DVCPRO HD formats. 59.94 fps–Based Formats Format Final Cut Pro Easy Setup Sequence dimensions and frame rate Scanning method 1080i60 DVCPRO HD - 1080i60 1280 x 1080 29.97 fps Interlaced 1080p30 DVCPRO HD - 1080p30 1280 x 1080 29.97 fps Progressive 1080pA24 DVCPRO HD - 1080pA24 1280 x 1080 23.98 fps Progressive 720p60 DVCPRO HD - 720p60 960 x 720 59.
DVCPRO HD Frame Rates DVCPRO HD supports frame rates compatible with both NTSC and PAL frame rates, although most camcorders are designed to work with one or the other. For example, the Panasonic AG-HVX200 camcorder records 1080i60 or 720p60 DVCPRO HD, and the Panasonic AG-HVX200E camcorder (designed for PAL regions) records 1080i50 or 720p50 DVCPRO HD. 1080i footage is described by its field rate (60i or 50i), whereas 720p footage is described by its frame rate (60p or 50p).
720p60 DVCPRO HD The 720p60 DVCPRO HD format supports 60, 30, and 24 fps recording. When you choose a frame rate lower than 60 fps, the camera CCD captures images at the lower rate but the recording rate stays fixed at 60 fps. For example, if you record the 720p30 format, the camera CCD produces 30 unique images per second, but each frame is recorded on tape twice. These duplicate frames are digitally flagged during recording and must be removed during or after capture.
720p50 DVCPRO HD The 720p50 DVCPRO HD format supports 50 and 25 fps recording. When you record at 25 fps, the camera CCD captures images at the lower rate but the recording rate stays fixed at 50 fps. 720pN DVCPRO HD Native Frame Rate Recording Camcorders such as the Panasonic AG-HVX200 allow you to record 720p footage onto P2 cards without duplicating frames.
Working with DVCPRO HD in Final Cut Pro DVCPRO HD footage can be recorded on tape or on Panasonic P2 cards. This chapter focuses on capturing DVCPRO HD footage from tape. For information about transferring DVCPRO HD footage from a Panasonic P2 card, see Chapter 5, “Working with Panasonic P2 Cards,” on page 97. The steps for capturing, editing, and outputting DVCPRO HD video are almost identical to the workflow used for DV.
Choosing a DVCPRO HD Easy Setup Final Cut Pro comes with several DVCPRO HD Easy Setups. Choose the Easy Setup that matches your source footage on tape. The 720p30, 720p25, and 720p24 Easy Setups remove duplicate frames during capture so that your media files have the proper frame rate. For more information, see “Removing Duplicate Frames During Capture,” below. To choose an Easy Setup: 1 Choose Final Cut Pro > Easy Setup. 2 Choose Panasonic DVCPRO HD from the Format pop-up menu.
Select to remove duplicate video frames during capture. About Timecode for 720p50 and 720p60 Formats Although 720p HD formats can record at video frame rates of 60 fps, the timecode recorded on tape is always 30 fps. How can 30 fps timecode account for every frame when the video frame rate is 60 fps? Every two frames are represented by one timecode number, and the second frame in the pair is uniquely flagged so it can be differentiated in the timecode count.
Editing DVCPRO HD Footage You can edit DVCPRO HD footage just as you would DV footage. Several additional options are available to support the unique frame rates of DVCPRO HD. Choosing Timecode Display Options for 720p60 DVCPRO HD Media Even though the timecode track of 720p60 DVCPRO HD QuickTime media files is always running at 60 fps, you can choose whether the timecode fields in Final Cut Pro display 60 or 30 fps timecode. Â When editing 720p60 video: You can choose from two time display options.
To set the timecode display for 720p60 video: 1 Open a 720p60 clip or sequence in the Viewer or Canvas. 2 Control-click a timecode field, then choose HH:MM:SS:FF (this will display 60 fps timecode) or 60 @ 30 from the shortcut menu. Note: The 60 @ 30 timecode display is available only when you are working with 59.94 fps or 60 fps media files and sequences. To display clip time for a 720p30 or 720p24 clip: 1 Open a 720p30 or 720p24 clip in the Viewer.
Outputting Sequence Timecode Using DVCPRO HD When you output a DVCPRO HD sequence or clip to a DVCPRO HD device via FireWire, timecode is also output. This works during Print to Video and Edit to Tape operations, as well as during normal playback when external video output via FireWire is enabled. For more information, see the Final Cut Pro 6 User Manual, Volume IV, Chapter 14, “Assemble and Insert Editing Using Edit to Tape.
How DVCPRO HD Variable Frame Rate Recording Works In 720p DVCPRO HD variable frame rate recording, the camera CCD outputs a frame rate while the recording rate is fixed at either 59.94 fps or 50 fps (depending on the camcorder model). A 720p60 camera CCD can generate between 4 and 60 images per second, while the recording unit records at a constant rate of 60 fps (technically, 59.94 fps). When you select any frame rate lower than 60 fps, some images from the CCD are recorded more than once.
Several examples of 720p60 DVCPRO HD variable frame rate footage are shown below.
About Native Variable Frame Rate Recording Camcorders such as the Panasonic AG-HVX200 and AG-HVX200E aren’t limited by the constraints of tape-based recording, so they can record native frame rates without duplication of frames. For more information, see “720pN DVCPRO HD Native Frame Rate Recording” on page 47. If you record variable frame rates in these native frame rate modes, the camera can display the results immediately without the use of a frame rate converter.
Timecode and Audio Restrictions The Frame Rate Converter does not include timecode or audio in the processed media file. Although this may seem like a limitation, it is important to remember that the primary purpose of timecode is to link your clip back to particular timecode addresses on a videotape for recapturing. Because the frames of the processed media file do not exactly correspond to the frames on the original tape, including the original timecode would only lead to confusion.
Why Is There an Option to Convert 59.94 fps to 59.94 fps? It may sound redundant to convert 59.94 fps to 59.94 fps. In fact, it is redundant unless you have variable frame rate flags in your footage. For example, if you have footage flagged as 10 fps, it contains a considerable number of duplicate frames. These frames can be removed from the original footage while maintaining a final frame rate of 59.94 fps. Because the media file now has fewer frames overall, the clip is shorter and therefore faster.
Using the Frame Rate Converter To convert a DVCPRO HD media file using the Frame Rate Converter: 1 Select a clip in the Browser that meets the Frame Rate Converter requirements (see “Original Media File Requirements” on page 56). 2 In Final Cut Pro, choose Tools > DVCPRO HD Frame Rate Converter. 3 Select options for processing the media file. For more information about the options, see “About the Frame Rate Converter Options” on page 57. 4 Click OK.
Step 1: Shoot with advanced pull-down (23.98 fps at 29.97 fps) Choose the 1080i/24PA recording mode on your camera. This creates 29.97 fps 1080i video that contains 23.98 fps progressive frames using a 2:3:3:2 pull-down pattern. Step 2: Remove 2:3:3:2 advanced pull-down from 24p video during capture Choose the DVCPRO HD 1080pA24 Easy Setup, which enables the Remove Advanced Pulldown and/or Duplicate Frames During Capture From FireWire Sources option.
Working with 720p24 DVCPRO HD Video There are several methods for recording 720p24 DVCPRO HD footage, depending on the camcorder you use. 720p60 DVCPRO HD Recorded at 23.98 fps Duplicate frames are recorded and can be removed during capture (Panasonic Varicam), during P2 card ingest (Panasonic AG-HVX200), or after capture using the DVCPRO HD Frame Rate Converter. This format is also referred to as 720p24.
DVCPRO HD Format Specifications DVCPRO HD is a 100 Mbps extension of the DVCPRO (25) and DVCPRO 50 formats, used for capturing and editing high-quality HD video. Because DVCPRO HD is a DV format, native FireWire capture and output is supported. Storage Medium DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50, and DVCPRO HD tapes use a metal particle (MP) tape formulation. Some tape sizes are supported only by decks and not by cameras.
Frame Dimensions, Number of Lines, and Resolution DVCPRO HD supports three resolutions: Â 1080i60: 1280 pixels per line, 1080 lines; interlaced (displayed at 16:9, or 1920 x 1080) Â 1080i50: 1440 pixels per line, 1080 lines; interlaced (displayed at 16:9, or 1920 x 1080) Â 720p60, 720p50: 960 pixels per line, 720 lines; progressive (displayed at 16:9, or 1280 x 720) Final Cut Pro captures and processes DVCPRO HD using its native dimensions but displays the image onscreen as you would expect 16:9 video to ap
Scanning Method DVCPRO HD can record either interlaced or progressive scan images, depending on the frame size and format. Â 1080 lines: Interlaced or progressive (via advanced pull-down) Â 720 lines: Progressive only Color Recording Method DVCPRO HD records a 4:2:2 Y´CBCR (component) digital video signal. Each sample (pixel) has a native resolution of 8 bits. FireWire transfers color natively at 8-bit color depth, and HD SDI transfers each color sample as a 10-bit value.
Video Compression DVCPRO HD uses a variation of the DV and DVCPRO 50 codecs. The compression ratio is around 6.7:1. Audio The DVCPRO HD format supports up to eight audio tracks, though not all devices can access every track. The sample rate is 48 kHz, using 16 bits per sample. Timecode On tape or P2 card, 1080i60, 1080p30, and 720p60 DVCPRO HD use 30 fps timecode. 1080i50 and 720p50 DVCPRO HD use 25 fps timecode.
3 Working with IMX 3 Native IMX editing support makes Final Cut Pro a powerful addition to any broadcast post-production environment. This chapter covers the following: Â About IMX (p. 67) Â Working with IMX in Final Cut Pro (p. 68) Â IMX Format Specifications (p. 70) About IMX IMX is a high-quality, standard definition, MPEG-2-based video format created by Sony. Both NTSC and PAL video standards are supported.
IMX Formats Supported by Final Cut Pro IMX can be recorded using NTSC or PAL video standards at three possible bit rates (30, 40, and 50 Mbps). Final Cut Pro supports real-time editing and effects using the 30, 40, and 50 Mbps IMX formats. Format Frame dimensions Data rate IMX - NTSC 720 x 486 30, 40, and 50 Mbps IMX - PAL 720 x 576 30, 40, and 50 Mbps About MXF Material eXchange Format (MXF) is a generic media container format for the video industry.
Transferring IMX Footage to Your Computer IMX media is stored within MXF files, so the first step is to transfer the MXF files containing your IMX media to your computer hard disk. Depending on the media format you are using, you can use a Sony IMX VTR, XDCAM player, or any other device that supports MXF file transfers. For more information about transferring IMX media to your computer, see the documentation that came with your deck.
IMX Format Specifications IMX, also known as Betacam IMX or MPEG IMX, records SD NTSC and PAL video using high-quality MPEG-2 compression. Storage Medium One of the features of the IMX format is that it is not restricted to a single media type. IMX can be recorded on XDCAM, a Sony optical disc format, as well as the IMX tape format.
Color Recording Method IMX records a 4:2:2 Y´CBCR (component) digital video signal. Each sample (pixel) has a resolution of 8 bits. Data Rate and Video Compression IMX uses I-frame-only MPEG-2 compression. IMX is a restricted version of MPEG-2 4:2:2 Profile @ ML. The official SMPTE designation is D10, as specified in SMPTE standard 356M. Three compression ratios are supported:  30 Mbps: 5.6:1 compression  40 Mbps: 4.2:1 compression  50 Mbps: 3.
4 Using the Log and Transfer Window 4 You can use the Log and Transfer window to view footage recorded on file-based media and transfer it to your scratch disk. This chapter covers the following: Â About File-Based Media (p. 74) Â About the Log and Transfer Window (p. 74) Â File-Based Media Terminology (p. 76) Â Sample File-Based Media Workflow (p. 78) Â Mounting Media Devices (p. 80) Â Using the Browse Area (p. 80) Â Using the Preview Area (p. 84) Â Using the Logging Area (p.
About File-Based Media Historically, video footage has been recorded on videotape. As digital acquisition quickly replaces analog technology, camcorders are starting to record footage as files on non-tape-based media such as hard disks, solid-state cards, and optical discs. For convenience in terminology usage, non-tape-based media are referred to as file-based media in this manual.
To open the Log and Transfer window: m Choose File > Log and Transfer (or press Command-Shift-8). Preview area Browse area Logging area Transfer Queue area Note: The illustrations in this chapter show examples of the Log and Transfer window ingesting P2 footage. The window may display slightly different features when ingesting other video formats.
File-Based Media Terminology When you ingest file-based media using the Log and Transfer window, it’s important to know the following concepts and definitions: Â Ingest: A general term for the process of transferring video, audio, and metadata from one media storage system to another.
 Media volume name: The name of a mounted volume, disk image, or folder. If you have write access to a media volume, you can change the volume name in the Finder.  Media file: A file containing one or more video or audio tracks of sample data. Media files contain your actual footage (also called content or essence). Associated video and audio content (for example, interview footage including both image and sound) may be stored together in a single file or as separate files.
Sample File-Based Media Workflow The process of ingesting file-based footage is similar to importing tape-based media using the Log and Capture window, although it is often much faster because you avoid the inconveniences of tape.
8 If the format you are ingesting is not natively supported by Final Cut Pro (such as AVCHD or AVC-Intra), you need to choose a format to transcode your footage to. For more information, see “Log and Transfer Plug-in Transcode Settings” on page 95. 9 Select a clip in the Browse area of the Log and Transfer window to view it in the Preview area. 10 In the Preview area, set In and Out points to identify the media you want to ingest. Note: Some formats do not support setting In and Out points.
Mounting Media Devices A file-based media device needs to be mounted on the desktop as a media volume before you can ingest footage from the device. Most media devices can be set to a special file access mode and then connected to your computer via FireWire or USB. For details, see the documentation included with your particular media device. You can also mount disk images of media volumes.
Eject button Search field Flat List View and Hierarchical List View buttons Add Folder button Action pop-up menu Column headings Mounted volume Media map indicator shows how much media has been ingested. Double-click a clip property to modify it, or press Enter. Folder with valid structure Thumbnail Resize slider Click to add selected clips to the Transfer Queue.
 List view buttons: There are two ways to view the list of clips on mounted volumes:  Hierarchical List view: View clips grouped by volume. In this view, you can click the disclosure triangle next to a volume name to show or hide the clips contained within. You can also select the volume and press the Right Arrow key to open it and the Left Arrow key to close it. By default, this view shows columns for Name, thumbnail images, Media Start, and Media Duration.
 Media map indicators: Indicate how much of a clip’s media has been ingested into the current project. Before you ingest any media into a project, all the media map indicators are empty. If you ingest a portion of media from a clip on a volume, that segment is added to the project as a clip, and the corresponding media map indicator has a partially filled icon. If you create a new project or close the current one, the media map indicator for that clip becomes empty again.
Deleting Clips Directly from Storage Media For some types of storage media, you can delete clips directly from the storage media using the Log and Transfer window. For more information, see “Deleting P2 Clips Directly in the Log and Transfer Window” on page 102. Using the Preview Area The Preview area allows you to view your clips.
Transport Controls in the Preview Area The transport, navigation, and marking controls in the Preview area work in the same way as the controls in the Viewer and Canvas. The same keyboard shortcuts, including the J, K, and L keys for playback, also work. Looped playback can be turned on or off by choosing View > Loop Playback (or by pressing Control-L). You can press the Tab key to move through the fields in the Preview and Logging areas.
Using the Logging Area You can use the Logging area to modify a clip’s reel name and other descriptive information before ingesting. Data entered here is stored with project clips after ingest. Increment button Autofill pop-up menu Logging fields The fields here are identical to the logging fields in the Log and Capture window. Press Tab to move from field to field, and press Shift-Tab to move through fields in reverse.
Incrementing Logging Fields Most of the logging fields have an Increment button you can click to increase the value of the last character of the clip name by one, according to the following rules: Â Any numbers at the end of a field are incremented by one. Â Any single letters at the end of a field are incremented alphabetically by one from A to Z. Â Any single letters preceded by numbers are incremented alphabetically from A to Z.
Using the Transfer Queue The Transfer Queue shows a list of clips currently queued for ingest. The status of each clip is shown and a progress bar indicates how much of a clip’s media has already been ingested. You can pause or restart ingest at any time by clicking the Pause button or by pressing Command-Control-Q. Click to reveal the current logging bin in the Browser. Progress bar Pause button The Status column shows the ingest status.
You can also drag clips from the Log and Transfer window to your project in the Browser. Those clips are automatically logged in the project and added to the Transfer Queue, and their media is ingested. Organizing Clips in the Transfer Queue The Status column displays the ingest status of each clip in the Transfer Queue: Â Ingesting: A spinning disc indicates media is being transferred to your scratch disk. Â Paused: A still disc indicates the current clip is partially transferred.
Reingesting Clip Media If a clip’s media files are deleted or lost, you can reingest the clip’s media at any time. This process is equivalent to batch capturing when working with tape-based media. However, ingested clips are tracked a bit differently than clips logged and captured from tape. In tape-based media workflows, the Reel, Media Start, and Media End properties describe where a clip’s original source media is located on a tape.
To reingest media for clips created in the Log and Transfer window: 1 In the Browser, select the clips whose media you want to reingest. 2 Do one of the following: Â Choose File > Batch Capture (or press Control-C). Â Make sure the Log and Transfer window is open, then drag selected clips from the Browser to the Transfer Queue area. 3 In the dialog that appears, specify whether you want to reingest media for all selected clips or only clips whose media files are offline, then click OK.
Viewing Spanned Clips in the Browse Area The Browse area of the Log and Transfer window can display clips two ways: in Hierarchical List view and Flat List view. The following example shows how a spanned clip consisting of five clips (on five volumes) appears in both views. In both views, segments of a spanned clip appear separately when the spanned clip is missing segments from other volumes. However, when a spanned clip is complete, it is displayed differently depending on the view you choose.
To avoid confusion, it’s usually best to use Flat List view when ingesting spanned clips. When a spanned clip is incomplete, you can ingest each segment as an individual QuickTime media file and clip. However, when all segments of a spanned clip are available, you can ingest all of the spanned clip’s media to a single QuickTime file. ∏ Tip: When logging spanned clips, assign reel names that indicate all volumes from which a clip originated.
Archiving to a Disk Image The Archive to Disk Image command produces a readable, writable disk image that is easily stored on other hard disks or disc media and can be easily opened to access the archived content. To create a disk image of a card: 1 In the Browse area, make sure the Hierarchical List View button is selected. 2 Select the card whose contents you want to archive. 3 Do one of the following: Â Control-click the card icon, then choose Archive to Disk Image from the shortcut menu.
Setting Log and Transfer Import Preferences The Log and Transfer window has several preferences that you can access by choosing Preferences from the Action pop-up menu in the Browse area:  Remove Advanced Pulldown and Duplicate Frames  Clear Logging Autofill Cache  Log and Transfer Plug-in Transcode Settings Remove Advanced Pulldown and Duplicate Frames This option removes advanced pull-down and redundant (duplicate) frames recorded in formats such as DVCPRO HD.
5 Working with Panasonic P2 Cards 5 You can use the Log and Transfer window to view footage recorded on Panasonic P2 cards and transfer it to your computer. This chapter covers the following: Â About Panasonic P2 Cards and Media Files (p. 97) Â Working with Panasonic P2 Cards and Final Cut Pro (p. 98) Â Using Print to Video to Output to P2 Cards in the AG-HVX200 Camcorder (p. 104) Â Capturing over FireWire as if a P2 Card Were a Tape in a VTR (p. 105) Â Panasonic AG-HVX200 Camcorder Compatibility (p.
The following definitions provide some shorthand for discussing P2 cards and media: Â P2 card: A solid-state memory card for recording DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO HD, and AVC-Intra media within MXF container files. Â P2 device: A camcorder, deck, or card reader capable of reading and writing to a P2 card. These devices can usually be connected to a Mac computer via a USB or FireWire cable. Â P2 volume: Any P2 card or mounted disk image that contains a valid P2 directory structure and MXF media files.
Mounting P2 Cards, Disk Images, and Folders After you record footage on P2 cards, there are three ways to mount P2 cards in your computer’s file system: Â Use a Panasonic P2 memory card reader connected to your Mac computer. Â Insert a P2 card into the PCMCIA slot on a PowerBook computer. Â Use a Panasonic AG-HVX200 camcorder connected via FireWire as a card reader. Alternatively, you can: Â Mount archived disk images of P2 cards that you previously created with the Log and Transfer window.
Mounting P2 Cards Using a PowerBook PC Card (Cardbus) Slot To mount a Panasonic P2 card in Mac OS X using the PC Card slot of a PowerBook, you first need to download and install the P2 Driver Software from the Panasonic website: https://eww.pavc.panasonic.co.jp/pro-av/support/desk/e/download.htm Note: You may need to provide the serial number of one of your Panasonic P2 devices to download the P2 Driver Software. Carefully follow the installation instructions included with the P2 Driver Software.
Mounting P2 Cards Using a Panasonic AG-HVX200 Camcorder You can use a Panasonic AG-HVX200 camcorder as a P2 card reader to mount P2 cards on the desktop. To configure a Panasonic AG-HVX200 camcorder as a P2 card reader: 1 Connect one end of a FireWire cable to the corresponding port on the camcorder. 2 Connect the other end of the FireWire cable to a corresponding port on your computer. 3 On the camcorder, do the following: a b c d e f Choose Camera mode. Press the Menu button.
Deleting P2 Clips Directly in the Log and Transfer Window If a P2 volume has read-and-write access (as opposed to read-only access), you can delete clips and their associated media by:  Selecting a clip and pressing Delete  Control-clicking a clip and choosing Delete from the shortcut menu Most P2 folders and disk images have read-and-write access.
Removing Advanced Pull-Down and Duplicate Frames During Transfer The Remove Advanced Pulldown and Duplicate Frames option in the Log and Transfer window preferences allows you to remove redundant (duplicate) frames recorded in variable frame rate DVCPRO HD 720p footage. You can also select this option to remove advanced (2:3:3:2) pull-down from 29.97 fps footage such as 1080i and 480i, resulting in 23.98 fps (24p) footage on disk after ingest.
Using Print to Video to Output to P2 Cards in the AG-HVX200 Camcorder You can output footage in Final Cut Pro to P2 cards in a Panasonic AG-HVX200 camcorder. This method works only when using the built-in FireWire port on your computer in conjunction with the Print to Video command or when playing footage directly in the Viewer or Timeline. To output to P2 cards, the following must be true: Â The camcorder recording mode and your footage in Final Cut Pro must have matching settings.
3 In Final Cut Pro, choose View > Video Playback, then choose the format you want to output via FireWire. For example, if you want to output 720p60 footage and the camcorder recording mode is set to 720P/60P, you should choose View > Video Playback > DVCPRO HD (720p60) (1280 x 720). 4 Open a clip in the Viewer or a sequence in the Timeline whose format matches the recording mode of the camcorder. 5 Choose View > External Video > All Frames.
4 On the camcorder, do the following: a b c d e Choose Camera mode. Press the Menu button. Choose the Other Functions menu, then select the PC Mode setting. Set the PC Mode setting to 1394DEVICE. Press the mode button to switch from Camera mode to MCR/VCR mode. Important: Do not open Final Cut Pro until after you switch to MCR/VCR mode. Otherwise, device control or video passthrough may not be available. 5 Use the AUDIO DUB/THUMBNAIL button to switch out of Thumbnail mode.
Panasonic AG-HVX200 Camcorder Compatibility The Panasonic AG-HVX200 P2 camcorder supports a large number of SD and HD video formats at various frame rates. The Panasonic AG-HVX200 camcorder can record on either tape or P2 cards, but some formats can only be recorded on P2 cards. The following tables show which formats are compatible with recent versions of Final Cut Pro. Panasonic AG-HVX200 (NTSC) Format Recorded frame rate Pull-down/ duplicate frame pattern Timecode 1080i60 29.
Panasonic AG-HVX200E (PAL) v6.0, v6.0.1 P2 Ta pe v6.0.2, v6.0.3 P2 Ta pe Format Recorded frame rate Pull-down/ duplicate frame pattern Timecode v5.1.
Panasonic P2 Card Format Specifications A P2 card is a PC Card containing four Secure Digital memory cards ganged together in a RAID 0 array, providing quadruple the capacity and transfer speed of a single Secure Digital card. P2 cards are formatted using the FAT32 file system, which limits the size of a single file to 4 GB. For example, if you record continuously on an 8 GB P2 card, a single shot will be broken into two 4 GB media files (known as a spanned clip).
6 Working with AVCHD 6 The Log and Transfer window allows you to transfer AVCHD footage from file-based camcorders. This chapter covers the following: Â About AVCHD (p. 111) Â AVCHD Formats Supported by Final Cut Pro (p. 111) Â Working with AVCHD in Final Cut Pro (p. 112) Â AVCHD Format Specifications (p. 114) About AVCHD AVCHD is an HD video format jointly developed by Sony and Panasonic. AVCHD uses Advanced Video Coding (AVC) compression (also known as MPEG-4 part 10 or H.
Working with AVCHD in Final Cut Pro AVCHD footage can be transferred using the Log and Transfer window in Final Cut Pro. Once you have transferred your footage, you can edit using an appropriate Apple Intermediate Codec or Apple ProRes 422 codec Easy Setup. Transferring AVCHD Footage You can transfer AVCHD footage to your scratch disk using the Log and Transfer window in Final Cut Pro.
Restrictions During Preview Preview of AVCHD video in the Log and Transfer window is limited to forward playback at 100 percent speed. When you scrub with the playhead, video is not updated in the Preview area until you stop scrubbing. Also, as you enter or scrub to In and Out points, the playhead snaps to the closest I-frame in your footage, which may be slightly different from the precise timecode value you specified.
Transcoded AVCHD Files Require Significantly More Disk Space Than Native AVCHD Files When you ingest AVCHD files using the Log and Transfer window, video is transcoded to either the Apple ProRes 422 codec or the Apple Intermediate Codec. AVCHD has a much higher compression ratio than the Apple ProRes 422 codec, so the ingested files are significantly larger than the original files. For example, a 2-minute native AVCHD file is about 200 MB.
Frame Dimensions, Number of Lines, and Resolution AVCHD supports three HD video resolutions: Â 1920 x 1080: This format is sometimes called Full HD because it contains the full 1920 horizontal pixels of the 1080-line HD format. Â 1440 x 1080: This is a horizontally subsampled image with 1080 lines. Â 1280 x 720: This is a full-resolution 720p format.
Sony Camcorder AVCHD Quality Levels Format name Bit rate XP (highest quality) 15 Mbps (VBR) HQ (high quality) 9 Mbps (VBR) SP (standard quality) 7 Mbps (VBR) LP (long play) 5 Mbps (VBR) Panasonic Camcorder AVCHD Quality Levels Format name Bit rate HF 13 Mbps (constant bit rate, or CBR) HN 9 Mbps (VBR) HE 6 Mbps (VBR) Audio AVCHD audio can be recorded in 5.1-channel surround sound with Dolby Digital (AC-3) compression or up to 7.1-channel surround sound (uncompressed).
7 Working with AVC-Intra 7 The Log and Transfer window allows you to transfer AVC-Intra footage from P2 volumes. This chapter covers the following: Â About AVC-Intra (p. 117) Â AVC-Intra Formats Supported by Final Cut Pro (p. 117) Â Working with AVC-Intra in Final Cut Pro (p. 118) Â AVC-Intra Format Specifications (p. 119) About AVC-Intra AVC-Intra is a form of H.
Working with AVC-Intra in Final Cut Pro AVC-Intra footage can be transferred using the Log and Transfer window in Final Cut Pro. During transfer, you can choose to transcode your footage to the Apple ProRes 422 codec or the Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) codec. Once you have transferred your footage, you can edit using an appropriate Apple ProRes 422 codec Easy Setup for editing. For more information about using the Log and Transfer window, see “Sample File-Based Media Workflow” on page 78.
AVC-Intra Format Specifications AVC-Intra is an HD video format that uses Advanced Video Coding (AVC) compression, just as with AVCHD. However, AVC-Intra uses only intraframe compression (I-frame-only compression) as opposed to the interframe (long-GOP) compression used by AVCHD. AVC-Intra can also record higher-quality color using 10-bit, 4:2:2 color sampling. Storage Medium AVC-Intra is recorded on Panasonic P2 cards.
Color Recording Method The 100 Mbps AVC-Intra color sample ratio is 4:2:2, with 10 bits per sample. The 50 Mbps AVC-Intra color sample ratio is 4:2:0, with 10 bits per sample. Data Rate AVC-Intra can be recorded at either 100 or 50 Mbps. Lower frame rates reduce the storage space used by your footage.
8 8 Working with Sony XDCAM Formats Final Cut Pro allows you to natively transfer and edit XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX formats. This chapter covers the following: Â About XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX (p. 121) Â Working with XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX in Final Cut Pro (p. 124) Â XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX Format Specifications (p. 128) About XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX The XDCAM format records SD DVCAM or IMX video on Sony Professional Disc media.
The SP format uses a constant bit rate (CBR) and is compatible with1080i HDV. The LP and HQ formats use a variable bit rate (VBR) and provide extended recording time with lower-than-HDV quality (LP) and quality that surpasses that of the HDV recording format (HQ). Variable frame rate recording is also supported. The HD422 format uses a 50 Mbps CBR. XDCAM EX is a variation of XDCAM HD that records full HD resolution as either 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 footage.
XDCAM HD422 CBR Easy Setups Final Cut Pro 6 includes support for the Sony XDCAM HD422 format, but it requires the installation of the Sony XDCAM Transfer software and an XDCAM plug-in. For more information about this software, go to the Sony website at http://www.sony.com/xdcam.
Working with XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX in Final Cut Pro Final Cut Pro can ingest and export XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX using third-party Sony XDCAM Transfer software. Editing XDCAM requires a DV or IMX Easy Setup, and editing XDCAM HD or XDCAM EX requires an Easy Setup corresponding to your format.
Connecting an XDCAM, XDCAM HD, or XDCAM EX Device to Your Computer Before ingesting your XDCAM footage, you must connect an XDCAM or XDCAM HD deck or an XDCAM EX camcorder or SxS card device to your computer. Connecting an XDCAM or XDCAM HD Deck To mount XDCAM or XDCAM HD media on your computer desktop: 1 Install a Sony XDCAM File Access Mode (FAM) driver. This driver is installed with the Sony XDCAM Transfer software. For more information, see “Installing Sony XDCAM Software,” above.
To enable remote device control on a Sony PDW-F70 XDCAM HD deck: 1 Disconnect the FireWire cable between the deck and your computer. 2 On the deck, press the Menu button. 3 With SETUP MENU selected, press the Right button to display the SETUP MENU options. 4 Press the Down button until INTERFACE SELECT is selected, then press the Right button to display the INTERFACE SELECT options. 5 Press the Up or Down button until FAM (PC REMOTE) is selected. 6 Press the Set button to save your settings.
Choosing an Easy Setup and Editing XDCAM HD or XDCAM EX Media in Final Cut Pro Once you ingest your XDCAM HD or XDCAM EX footage to QuickTime media files on your scratch disk, you can simply choose the XDCAM HD or XDCAM EX Easy Setup that corresponds to your footage and edit as you would with any other native format in Final Cut Pro. Note: Final Cut Pro renders and exports LP (18 Mbps VBR) XDCAM HD footage using the 35 Mbps (HQ) codec, so you cannot export back to the 18 Mbps VBR LP format.
XDCAM, XDCAM HD, and XDCAM EX Format Specifications XDCAM (SD) records MXF file–based media to an optical disc format. XDCAM HD extends XDCAM to include HD video. XDCAM EX adds full-resolution 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 modes and ExpressCard-based recording. Storage Medium XDCAM and XDCAM HD use a 120 mm disc—like CD and DVD discs—that can record 23.3 GB of media by using a 405 nm blue-violet laser.
XDCAM HD can record 1080-line HD video using MPEG-2 compression at four quality levels. Format MPEG-2 bit rate Frame dimensions Color sample ratio MPEG-2 standard LP 18 Mbps (VBR) 1440 x 1080 4:2:0 MPEG MP@HL SP (HDV) 25 Mbps (CBR) 1440 x 1080 4:2:0 MPEG MP@HL-1440 HQ 35 Mbps (VBR) 1440 x 1080 4:2:0 MPEG MP@HL HD422 50 Mbps (CBR) 1920 x 1080 1280 x 720 4:2:2 MPEG 422P@HL The SP format uses a constant bit rate (CBR) and is compatible with 1080i HDV.
Frame Rate XDCAM supports 25 and 29.97 fps. XDCAM HD and XDCAM EX support the following formats and frame rates: Â 1080i60, 1080p30 Â 1080i50, 1080p25 Â 1080p24 XDCAM EX also supports the 720p format at 23.98, 25, 29.97, 50, and 59.94 fps. XDCAM HD422 supports the 720p format at 50 and 59.94 fps. A VFR shooting mode is also available on certain XDCAM HD camcorders. You choose a playback frame rate (24p or 30p) and a recording frame rate (from 4 to 60 fps in single increments).
9 Working with REDCODE RAW 9 You can use Final Cut Pro to ingest native REDCODE RAW media for editing and output to film or digital cinema, and you can transcode and edit REDCODE RAW media for output to HD and SD video. This chapter covers the following: Â About REDCODE RAW (p. 131) Â Native REDCODE RAW Editing Workflow for Film (p. 134) Â Transcoded REDCODE RAW Editing Workflow for Video (p. 137) Â REDCODE RAW Format Specifications (p.
For broadcast video output, you use Final Cut Pro to transcode the REDCODE RAW footage to the Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) codec or the Apple ProRes 422 codec, do an online edit of the project, use Color to grade it (optional), and then use Final Cut Pro to output to standard HD or SD video formats. About the RED ONE Camera The RED ONE camera uses a 12-megapixel CMOS sensor to capture images at resolutions of 2K and 4K, as shown below.
The camera records data directly to proprietary hard disk drives and CompactFlash cards. Hard disk drives can be connected directly to your computer, and CompactFlash cards can be connected to your computer using a card reader. You can then download the files to other large storage devices, such as large-capacity hard disk drives or RAID storage servers. You can access and edit the files using Final Cut Pro, or further process them using the RED ONE camera software or other DI finishing software.
Native REDCODE RAW Editing Workflow for Film It’s recommended that you use the RED ONE camera to shoot footage in 4K RAW. You ingest the REDCODE RAW files using the RED QuickTime codec, and the footage is converted to 2K QuickTime files. You then perform an edit of your footage in a Timeline set to 2K sequence settings. After the edit, you can send your footage to Color. You use Color to grade the sequence and render it as 2K DPX files, uncompressed HD files, or Apple ProRes 422 codec files.
The native REDCODE RAW workflow follows the standard steps of ingesting file-based media using the Log and Transfer window.
Choosing the RED FCP Log and Transfer Plug-in for Transfer Before ingesting the REDCODE RAW files, you open the Log and Transfer window and choose the RED FCP Log and Transfer plug-in. To choose the RED FCP Log and Transfer plug-in in the Log and Transfer window: 1 In the Log and Transfer window, choose Preferences from the Action pop-up menu in the upper-right corner of the Browse area.
Outputting DPX Files for Finishing After you use Color to grade the native REDCODE RAW files, you can output the footage to DPX files for further finishing and output in a DI software finishing application. For a detailed explanation of outputting DPX files and preparing them for final DI output, see the Color User Manual, Chapter 2, “Color Correction Workflows.” Transcoded REDCODE RAW Editing Workflow for Video You can use the RED ONE camera to shoot footage in 4K RAW or 2K RAW.
The transcoded REDCODE RAW workflow follows the standard steps of ingesting file-based media using the Log and Transfer window.
Choosing the Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) Codec for Transcoding Decoding native REDCODE RAW footage for playback requires a lot of processing power. To reduce the processing demands on your computer, you should use the Log and Transfer window to transcode your REDCODE RAW footage to the less processor-intensive Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) codec. Your sequence settings then change to the default Apple ProRes 422 (HQ) codec settings appropriate to the ingested footage.
Grading Your Transcoded Footage with Color If you are going to grade your footage using Color, you can perform a normal edit that includes transitions and effects. After you’ve completed your edit, you can send the footage to Color by choosing File > Send To > Color. After you grade your files, you can return them to Final Cut Pro for finishing by choosing File > Send To > Final Cut Pro. For more information about preparing your project for grading in Color, see the Color User Manual.
REDCODE RAW Format Specifications REDCODE RAW has the following format specifications. Storage Medium REDCODE RAW is recorded on RED-DRIVE (RAID) hard disks, REDFLASH hard disk drives, and REDFLASH CompactFlash cards. Aspect Ratio REDCODE RAW footage has aspect ratios of 2:1 and 16:9. Frame Dimensions and Resolution The REDCODE RAW format supports 2K RAW and 4K RAW native video resolutions.
10 Working with Sony Video Disk Units 10 You can use the Log and Transfer window to view footage recorded on a Sony Video Disk Unit and transfer the footage to your scratch disk. This chapter covers the following: Â About Sony Video Disk Units (p. 143) Â Importing Footage from a Sony Video Disk Unit (p.
Importing Footage from a Sony Video Disk Unit To import media from a Sony Video Disk Unit, you need to connect it to your computer via FireWire and then select which media files you want to import using the Log and Transfer window in Final Cut Pro. Setting Up a Sony Video Disk Unit Connecting and using a Sony Video Disk Unit is very similar to using an external FireWire hard disk drive.
To transfer media from a Sony Video Disk Unit: 1 Make sure that the Sony Video Disk Unit is connected and mounted on the desktop. 2 Choose Final Cut Pro > System Settings, then click the Scratch Disks tab. 3 Select a scratch disk or folder to which you want to transfer your media. For more information about selecting scratch disks, see the Final Cut Pro 6 User Manual, Volume 1, Chapter 11, “Connecting DV Video Equipment.” 4 Choose File > Log and Transfer.
